“I gave the answer as ‘RED’ FORBES, who played a couple of games for North End before signing for the Gunners,” said Frank, who is also the water polo correspondent for the Tele.
“Red, whose real first name was Alec, regularly came home for visits after he signed on at Highbury, and he used to pop into the old Dundee Baths.
“He was nearly always resplendent in his Arsenal blazer with the Gunners’ badge.
“He loved to play water polo, too, and you should have seen his battles with KEN SHAW in the water.
“I think his family came from the Wellington Street area.”
Alec “Red” Forbes won 14 caps for Scotland, but he played with Sheffield United in 1947 and 1948 before joining Arsenal.
Indeed, Alec has his own entry in the Wikipedia on-line encyclopaedia. It reads . . .
Alexander Rooney Forbes (born January 21, 1925) is a Scottish former footballer.
Born in Dundee, Forbes started his career playing war-time matches with Dundee North End, before signing for Sheffield United.
He was a regular for United in the first two seasons of competitive football after the war ended, and made his debut for Scotland, against England on April 12, 1947.
However, he was sidelined by an attack of appendicitis midway through the 1947-48 season and could not regain his place afterwards.
Transfer-listed by the Blades, Forbes signed for Arsenal (after being persuaded by the Gunners’ Archie Macaulay, who was a friend of his) in February 1948 for £15,000.
He made his debut against Wolves on March 6, 1948.
Nicknamed “Red” (for the colour of his hair) and known for his hard tackling, he picked up a First Division winners’ medal in his first season at Arsenal (1947-48), making 11 appearances that season.
Forbes managed to eventually displace his friend Macaulay from the Arsenal side, becoming a regular for seven seasons.
He went on to win a second title in 1952-53, and picked up an FA Cup winners’ medal in 1949-50. He continued to also play for Scotland, eventually picking up 14 caps for his country.
He is the last surviving player from Arsenal’s FA Cup winning side of 1950.
In all, Forbes played 240 games for Arsenal, scoring 20 goals.
However, injury blighted his final season with the Gunners — a problem with his knee cartilage demanded an operation, which restricted him to five appearances in 1955-56.
Having lost his place to Dave Bowen, Forbes moved to Leyton Orient in August 1956. He spent a season there before seeing out his career with Fulham.
After retiring from playing, Forbes spent some time coaching the Arsenal reserves and youth teams.
He later emigrated to Johannesburg, South Africa, to coach children at a local private school, Yeshiva College of South Africa. He is also chairman of the South African branch of the Arsenal supporters’ club.
He recently had a hip replacement.
TEAM CHANGED IN OLD HOUSE IN SOUTH ROAD
Lochee United’s current 50-year anniversary celebrations reminded ANDY CHRISTIE of the time he played against them in the U/27 Juvenile League.
“I used to support Monifieth Tayside Juniors when I was about nine-years-old, in 1949-50,” said Andy, of the Angus town’s Milton Street.
“They had some great players at that time and I think it was two brothers who were managers at the time, possibly named Masterton.
“My favourite player was a lad called Jimmy Pyott.
“I can’t remember too many of the players, but the goalie was called Bobby Reid, who ended up at Raith Rovers.
“Monifieth Tayside had to leave the Junior League because of a rule the Junior Association brought in that every ground had to be enclosed.
“Monifieth Town Council couldn’t enclose it, so the team joined the U/27 League.
“They continued to have a good team with another goalie called Cecil Morgan, and other players such as McGregor and Robertson.
“However, my pals and I used to love watching Shug Gourlay, Bertie Brady and the centre-forward called Hay.
“One season, Tayside reached the semi-final of the Scottish Juvenile Cup, but were beaten by Sauchie Juveniles.
“However, they beat some good teams to get there — Oxgans Rovers and Westquarter Violet from the Falkirk or Edinburgh area.
“Maybe some of the lads who were involved with these games could give dates or scores.
“I started playing for Newbigging around 1957 in the Angus Amateur FA, and that same season I joined Monifieth Juveniles.
“My first game for them was at Lochee United, whom Bertie, Shug and others had since joined.
“I remember changing in an old house or shop in South Road and I was a bit nervous.
“However, a Lochee committee man came over and started speaking to me.
“He noticed I didn’t have shinguards and came back with a pair.
“Then he saw my boots were not that great, and he said, ‘You canna go on the pitch wi’ boots like that,’ as the nails from the studs were sticking through into my feet.
“Away he went and came back with a hammer and hammered the nails back into the soles.
“I’ve never forgotten how good they were to a young lad of 17.
“For the game, I think we walked up to Camperdown Park.
“Playing against Bertie and Shug was great.
“I couldn’t believe I was on the same park as them. I can’t remember the score, but I know we were beaten.
“But they were a great team then and they have now gone on to be a top team in Junior circles.”
